Dr Jeanette Pinto –
On 15 August 1947, India got its freedom ending an almost 200-year British rule in the subcontinent. It is a day of immense pride and joy for all Indians. On this day, we commemorate the sacrifices made by millions of our freedom fighters, who gave up their lives in the freedom struggle and with their unfaltering grit and patriotism forced the British empire to finally retreat. We became a free country making it clear that we were born free and wanted to live free.
All of humanity will agree that Freedom is the state of being free, such as absence of necessity, coercion or constraint in choice or execution. In simple words, it is the quality of being free as liberation from slavery or restraint from the power of another. It is a condition in which people have the opportunity to speak, act and pursue happiness without unnecessary external restrictions. Freedom is important because it leads to enhanced expressions of creativity and original thought, increased productivity, and an overall high quality of life. Freedom is really ours when we live and let live, enjoy all the bountiful gifts of nature showered on us by our Creator God, and live in peace and harmony with one another. What a beautiful world it would be!
Such freedom brings to my mind a movie I saw long ago titled ‘Born Free’. The story is based in Kenya. A woman is killed and eaten by a male lion. George Adamson is sent to kill the menacing lion and also its female who charges him in defence of her three cubs. George and Joy Adamson then take charge of the three orphaned lion cubs. Soon two cubs were sent by the authorities to the Rotterdam Zoo, but the Adamsons decided to keep Elsa the youngest cub. They cuddled and cared for the cub, it lived happily with them. When the Adamsons had to leave Kenya on another assignment, they realized that Elsa was unable to return to her natural habitat. They began to teach her survival tactics in her own environs. After much guiding, cajoling and pushing finally Elsa happily returns to the wild where she was born free.
All through the movie there was the beautiful haunting melody of the song ‘Born Free’, stirring to awaken the human spirit. Songwriter John Barry in 1966 composed this song expressing a truth of freedom in the lyrics. It applies to human beings as much as it applies to all creatures in the universe. We were all born free like the wind blows and the grass grows in the meadows, without any directions given to us. Such freedom permits one to feel and follow the yearnings of the human heart. We must live freely amidst the spectacular beauty and grandeur of nature. And whether you set your eyes on the ground or the sky the glorious panoramic view is astounding; all freely provided by the grace and generosity of our loving God.
For Elsa, her instincts and urges awakened in her the innate desire and love for freedom and she happily embraced it. She needed no barriers or boundaries to determine her existence, she just wanted to be free. Unlike animals, we humans, have bound ourselves by colour, caste, creed and customs. In addition, language, poverty, lack of education, injustices and corruption are other factors that divide us, robbing us of the gift of freedom. Look at the sea, the rolling tide comes and goes freely without any restriction or pressure. When one enjoys this kind of freedom, life becomes truly worth living, because you are born free.
A defining characteristic of modern society is individualism, materialism self centredness, ego, greed and the like. The many prejudices that man entertains prevents him from living a happy free life. All this crushes the spirit and cripples the soul. Freedom from want, fear, discrimination, violence and abandonment is all we want. Freedom is not a luxury it is a necessity. Mankind therefore has a long way to go before he tastes the true essence of freedom.
So, can we then say that the people of India our country, really enjoy the freedom that God meant us to live by. To be free simply means not to restrict the rights of others, be duty bound, free from emotional baggage, be caring, sharing and loving each other. Anything that stifles you and makes you feel small and insignificant is not what freedom is.
Having gained freedom from the British a foreign power, and now restricted and mired by our own powers that be, is not real freedom. We the people, in a way have become like what Elsa experienced, unable to live freely in the environment of our motherland. Independence Day is just another day to pompously celebrate Freedom. How has it materialised and helped to promote peace, justice, equality and liberty for the people; fraternity, dignity of the individual, unity and integrity of the nation? We are born free, to live free.
Dr Jeanette is former Principal of Sophia College, members of Human Life Committee and a parishioner of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, Chembur – Mumbai